


Quantuum Vader

by anesor



Series: Star Wars Snippets [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Death is only the beginning, Gen, Humor, Like a smooth rock skipping a pond, Movie Night, Multi, Multiverse, buddy talking to, foils
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 19:09:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16959840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anesor/pseuds/anesor
Summary: Vader has a duty to his empire and a path to finally get what he wants.  Perhaps the Force did not get the memo, because he struggles during a firefight against rebels...Was "Reincarnation Roulette" but that isn't quite right.





	1. Surprise

Vader never needed complex plans to eliminate rebels, they were deeply stupid.

But now, sirens and hardware shorting out filled his racing attention. The reek that burning and melting equipment created, made _breathing_ hard enough that something must have broken in his internal support systems too. A thousand rats scrabbled and clawed inside his brain to expose his buried fears. Rage almost drowned all thought as the ringing in his ears and hollowness of his head made concentration and higher thought nearly impossible.

_This **would** still around him. He demanded it of the Force._

Gravity and direction of up were hidden, and the darkness could not be comforting with flashes from exploding failures sending painful daggers in through his eyes. The Force was turbulent despite his will that the ship obey him.

Both shoulders ached as he tried to use the power from his superior arms to force the ship to hold together, but the siren of mechanicals alarms and dizziness swelled. Everything he knew became unmoored and flowed away from his control. Pain was something to be ignored as usual while more and more systems failed.

_He refused to die today._

_He would not let those weaklings take anything that was his. Not his ship or his life._

_He had a purpose and power to grasp. To own._

_He had a purpose in the Dark, he would not fail today._

_He would not allow worthless rebel scum end his path to power._

_He..._

With one more screeching rip of metals, parts of his interceptor separated in different directions and his last conscious thought was of cold and silence.

And surprise.


	2. Reentry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What comes after your Actis interceptor comes apart in space? Funny, that Vader won't be thinking about that one...

He came back to awareness, his cockpit seat shaking around him as mechanical air, cleaner air reached his lungs. Power controls had failed... and sensor panels too in that inky light, and he was in a steep dive from the g forces he was feeling. Gripping the stick by instinct, he hauled it up with all his strength, or at least the pieces of it still attached. He must have dropped from orbit, as he could see distant planet surface spinning below him.

The Force was still remote but he could feel his forces were far below him even with his eyes shut. When he’d stabilized his flight, he had a massive headache and he could feel a vein pulsing. The dizziness didn’t fade and he could barely distinguish light from dark- _every_ light stabbed his eyes.

He was bleeding, his face being coppery wet was more annoying than painful. The stick responded enough that he managed a landing before he could pass out again.

Some Bacta and a new interceptor, and he might yet return to the battle if the incompetents didn’t lose it without him.

Hydraulics hummed and the canopy popped open without his willing it.

They sounded wrong.

The fresh air was wrong…

The air was unfiltered, even if he could still hear the pump as he took in deep breaths to try to fill his damaged lungs..

Blood trickled to his neck, and Vader reached up to touch it, to blot it at least. He touched skin under his hand, soft and bloody. Eyes open despite the pain, he finally looked at his cockpit in bright sunlight.

_It was wrong._

When he reached out to touch the unknown display with his gloved hand, he caught a glimpse of skin at his wrist.

Vader shook his head, wondering if the doddering old troll had managed to resurrect some old Jedi magic from hiding, as he stripped off his gloves to look closer at his wrist. Dropping gloves on the console, he had two flesh and blood hands.

One started shaking as he looked at it.

Then the other showed tremors and he made a fist, denying his sight.

Another throb from his head and he noticed that he was seeing all this in full color. Unable to breathe, he reached for his chest, beneath his fingers was some kind of vest but no life support mechanicals. His face had only a breathing mask that almost flew off.

He took a deep breath.

He took a deeper breath.

Even with some awful chemical scents, this was the sweetest breath he’d even taken.

He took another, wanting to laugh.

“Will! Will? What is _wrong_ with you, boy? The Colonel will have your Hal Jordan ass, no matter how many Migs you’ve taken out.” The voice had an unfamiliar soft burr to it as a man younger than him with golden hair bent over from whatever platform he was on and looked for injuries while clucking. Or seemed to, at least.

Swallowing, Vader demanded, “ _ **Who**_ are you?”

The other man froze and looked at him with worry. “Don’t josh with me, Will. You got me through Basic, even through the rehab after my crackup left me unsteady...” With another look, he turned his head and bellowed, “Medic!”

Vader didn’t feel any deception or warning about this fool. A medic might be very good as he reviewed the undeniable fact that he again had two hands… and two feet.

Another, less worried, face appeared beside the cockpit. “Alright Livengood. Let’s see if you did any damage to yourself on a flight when you _didn’t_ break your plane for a change.”

“I landed it.” Vader gritted out, his hand clenching and unclenching,

The blond man was forcing his cheer. “Yeah, you did that alright, Will. But you _bled_ all over yer _pretty_ face. You ain’t gonna get a date tonight if you don’t straighten out. You hate head shrinks with a passion.”

The nasal burr was getting annoying and the medic’s checks angered him. Untangling his fist from the awkward webbing and he made a fist as he glared at the man to choke him.

Nothing happened.

The blond ran fingers through carefully trimmed hair as he stared at Vader’s clenched fist. “Doc, you better get him to Doc Anthony. I ain’t never heard nothing about hitting Mach one messing up your head before.”

Vader didn’t listen as he was hustled away from the craft, self testing his body, and more importantly his link to the Force. It was still there, weaker and not as Dark. He could not feel his Master at all, for the first time in so many years.

He wasn’t sure if that made him happier to be rid of that abuse and contempt or upset that he didn’t know what to do.

Oh, he could feel the tiny light of the presences of these people even as they fussed over him, but any attempt to use the Force more directly was wispy and slippery. Before he quite knew what had happened, he was cleaned up and in fresh clothing.

What was even more clear was that there was no Empire and he was no Lord. He _was_ a pilot at least. The office of a mental healer was clear even with the differences. The harsh-faced older woman with ginger hair shook her head as she gazed at him.

He did not know her, but the disapproval was all too familiar,

“Alright, Lieutenant Livengood. We aren’t going to talk about your ‘borrowing’ another’s plane for a highspeed joyride after cracking up two of your own. I’ll leave that argument for your superior officers.” She paused.

Vader didn’t know why, but he felt relieved.

“Instead, we’re returning to your anger problems from our last talk. I believe they are the root of why you do asinine stunts like this, if you don’t want to be grounded.” The woman took out some kind of flimsi pad. “You said last time that you felt betrayed by your brother, and I’d like us to talk more about that. I’d like to know why one boy of much-younger twins, one the school guidance counselor has noted adores his big brother, raises so much anger in you. He is unlikely to be any threat to your life. However, your fights and carelessness with expensive flight equipment will get you grounded and maybe discharged if you don’t get it under control...”

Panic rose a little at the threat. Vader did not want to face losing flight here.

Wherever _here_ was, he did not know this ‘Will’s’ life to be able to fake it. This was not a necessary skill in a Sith, and even less had he mastered Jedi deception.

He was on his own. The Force almost gone. His lightsaber gone.

He did not want to lose his piloting as that was how he got here. And probably the way back out.

“I don’t know,” Vader admitted reluctantly. “I don’t remember a twin brother or why I would be angry with one… My betrayals were much more bloody.” He had to smile at the memory of his march on the Temple as the mind healer’s alarm grew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was also inspired by two specific stories, one a tv show and another an old seasonal movie. Five internet points to anyone who identifies them. 
> 
> For all referenced media properties mentioned, the usual I don't own them, no infringement is intended nor any profit made with this story.


	3. Might Have Beens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your dearest desires can be as much a big stick as a big carrot.

Vader shook his head, dizzy again. Only when it ended, he was standing with no healer and he could have sworn he heard a man’s chuckle. Looking around, he was in a tiny room that looked strange, all in bright colors.

Something rank drew his attention below, and there on a table was a small baby wearing only padded pants, who giggled with Padmé’s eyes and kicked its little legs.

 _**His** _ little legs moved and the padding shifted, letting colder air hit his skin.

The boy giggled again as a fountain nearly hit Vader’s face.

Vader got angry. _How dare he?_

The boy only looked up with a toothless grin, happy to see Vader.

Hastily, Vader put the padded cover back in place, and raked his fingers through his hair looking for something to wipe his face. Small damp pads were in a pouch, and they smelled pleasant, helping him calm. It look him some time to figure out the… equipment, and he wasn’t happy when he realized labels were in gibberish, but he could still understand the diagrams.

A part of him could pretend about the brown haired baby boy. He could pretend that he was waiting for Padmé to get back.

But then he heard another cry.

And it did not come from below him.

A few steps and he found a crib with another baby, and she was blonde with very familiar blue eyes. She had a stinky smell, too, but this time clean up was a little easier.

Anakin could not help smiling. This was what they’d both hoped for, but they hadn’t expected twins.

Settling in a chair to just hold them and marvel at their little fingers, he forced himself to try to think. They could not tell him anything, and he did not want to let go of them for a single moment.

This was _too_ perfect. He could barely feel the Force, and the Dark side not at all.

The little girl made a raspberry sound with a strangely adult glare at him.

He had no idea what she needed or wanted,

Carrying them around, rocking them, that was supposed to be good for them, right? So he moved around the room humming. He spotted images on the wall and hoped for some hints.

He saw pictures of a man and woman. They didn’t look like Padmé and himself, but they were _so_ much younger, just younglings. He touched the large Adam's apple in his throat as he scanned the stills. A couple showed her pregnant with splotches of the wall color on her face. Several images were of them riding some sort of boat through a turbulent river with other people. All seemed to be having fun. Other outdoor images were more park like or wilderness, but grins and other faces said they were happy times too. Other events were stranger, with hats and food, but Vader could remember meeting Sola and other family members with Padmé, still.

 _What_ _**happened** _ _to them, anyway?_

Rocking them wasn’t helping, and now both babies were whimpering. That only left hunger and he didn’t know how they were fed. Most of the babies he’d been exposed to were with his Mom, and they’d fed from their mothers. He looked down, just to make sure he couldn’t do that with how strange this had been.

Holding the babies still, he stepped into another room that held more seating and less baby equipment.

A large portrait highlighted on the wall caught his attention. The woman in the photos, the children’s mother, was a vision in blue and amber. Golden hair braided in loops on her head with tiny blue flowers looked so true in its way. She didn’t look a thing like Padmé, and yet she could be her twin. She looked radiant, in a way he missed so long.

But the panel underneath made his breath stop. _“Beloved wife, eternity would not have been long enough.”_

The babies’ unhappy shrieks interrupted his paralysis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Yeah, I doubt it would be called Adam's apple in SW, but I didn't want to sacrifice clarity. Anything made up to avoid Earth metaphor would just be cheesy and awkward... pretend it's the right word.


	4. Might Have Beens, pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lost sith is really confused when suddenly a single widower with twins.

A knock came from a doorway, and Anakin was glad for the distraction. He could feel himself wince at their volume as he opened the door.

“Your Mom left?” A greying, but still statuesque woman, looked exhausted even as she saw Anakin holding the babies. “You need a little help, Joe?”

“Force, yes!” Anakin babbled. “I don’t know what’s wrong and I just cleaned them.”

The woman’s shirt had something rude written on it. “Did you feed them?”

He felt embarrassed. “No? Wasn’t sure how...”

She sighed. “It’s not hard. There’s instructions on the packages. Come on.”

And in a really short time formula was warmed and each baby was contentedly feeding.

“Feed, clean up, sleep. They won’t be doing a whole lot more for abother few months, You’ll be fine.”

That sounded like she was going to leave him and he didn’t want that. “Stay longer,” he commanded.

The woman smiled for an instant before shaking her head. “You’re a little young to be interested, so I’ll mark that as desperation, Joe.

_He wasn’t interested, no._ “I can’t remember this stuff.”

“You’ll be fine. Most new fathers panic, even dickwad did.”

Vader knew what she meant but the word was a shock. _“Why_ can’t you stay?”

“You know Jessica can’t be left alone that long, and the aide is gone for the day. Her emotions get too violent after that drunk driver was done with her, and dickwad wasn’t there for either of us. Absence, false promises, and gaslighting… a trifecta of asshats everywhere. I can only stay a few minutes but I’ll stop in before work tomorrow.”

“...There’s so much.” Anakin felt alone in a different way.

The woman patted his arm with her one free hand. “Amazingly, the human race hasn’t died from incompetent parents, and you’ll get better long before they’re bright enough to notice. You just have to work at it and forgive them for not matching your expectations. They will love you _if_ you keep making the effort, no matter how you mess up.”

Anakin didn’t know anything about this place but baby care.

The woman bundled the boy back into his arms. “And you, you will keep loving them, no matter how much they disappoint you… by pooping in your face.”

That felt right and Anakin laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is somewhat open at this point, so interesting ideas and situations for him to appear in will be welcome. I know how this will end and I project only about a dozen of these quick chapters. Muses need comments like tinkerbells need clapping.


	5. Leaping in Without a Net

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaderkin did not want to leave them...

Vader smelled the little girl’s hair as she yawned in his lap, the best thing he remembered smelling for too many years. The boy was asleep, curled against him, a little starburst in the weak Force he could still feel. The determined to stay awake girl had a smaller spark, but it was getting easier to pretend they were _his_ kids, that he was this Joe and he had two babies to remember Padmé with. The girl even had his coloring, both hair and eyes.

He didn’t even remember the names that Padmé and he had spoken about, once upon a time.

He got dizzy again and he could feel himself blacking out. The warm weight of infants disappeared from his arms as he panicked, casting about trying to hold onto them. It was dark around him as he surged to his feet and brightly colored spotlight blinded him. _**“**_ _ **Where are they!!”**_

Fingers and hands pulled him down. “Alex! _Get down,_ you’re looking like an idiot,” hissed a male trying not to laugh. “Don’t get us thrown out again. Emmie’s not worth the cliff she pushed you off.”

A voice from the other side wasn’t as amused. “Bitch sure isn’t worth losing our admission tonight, Alex. Can’t afford another ticket to cheer you up, dude.”

There were rows of people seated around him chattering with excitement, and he saw the colored lights were projecting images on one large wall beyond him. He felt no danger.

He saw no babies.

_He wasn’t Joe, he was… Alex?_

Clenching his fist, the metal glistened, and he could not remember if Joe had a prosthetic.

“Alex, sit down. We’ll get you some beer later. You know you got the hots for Kidman, you’ll like it. She looks so good in the trailers...”

Anakin frowned and sat, wondering if he could get excited over any other woman again.

The man on his left shoved a bucket into his chest with some white things falling over the edge. “Eat your popcorn, looks like a cross between Vegas gymnastics act and an action flick.”

He noticed the buzz cut and that let him breathe a little easier for some reason. “Of course, Commander.”

“Alex? You… I…” He took a breath, “Don’t call me that. This ain’t no _game.”_

A pregnant silence stretched for a few seconds.

The images shifted into a sequence that meant nothing to Anakin, so he just held on to the bucket as he thought. What happened to the babies? He knew he’d lost his cape and support suit, and everyone saw him as someone else. The babies were great, but so far no one else had been worse than annoying.

He wished he could have stayed with the babies. He missed them already.

He’d forgotten what happiness felt like.

The chatter in the hall shifted and quieted as a vibrating hum started when a logo appeared on the wall. He didn’t have anything better to do and settled back, tasting the little, white puffy things. They were salty and a little greasy, and the drink cups he saw around him made sense. And yet they tasted good enough that he ate a handful, savoring the first real food he could taste in so many years.

Not paying any attention to the holo as he ate, or perhaps he gorged on the puffs.

He thought he heard a familiar voice, and looked up. There in an oversized scale was what looked like his old master?

Vader wanted to crush his throat, but _he_ was not here. Vader could not feel him at all. He could not feel the Force right now, but he could _still_ choke the old man with his bare hands if he had to.

But this was a holo, and the… actor did not truly sound like Kenobi, speaking about love, of all things. That didn’t mean that Vader didn’t want to choke him too, as he watched every word of the poet as he glared at the image.

A snicker from his right, and he saw the brown eyes of the man sitting beside him in the dim light, the grin gone. “I know you like action movies like your action games, bro. I told you when it came out that Independence Day would be a good flick for you. But Emmie did a number on you for _years_ , almost a lifetime. She gaslit you, took away the job you loved, took away your friends- family, changed you into someone we couldn’t recognize...”

“It _hurt_ to hear you apologize and beg her for scraps if we ran into you. She brainwashed you or something,” the other man behind him whispered intensely.

“There’s better women out there, Alex. Fuck, there’s better sex toys than that Emmie. You don’t deserve to be abused.” The younger, to Vader, man really wanted to help him.

A tap to his arm, and the other man said. “Stay with us, as long as you need. We’ll even draw straws for who gets the old sofa.”

“She’s poison, Alex. Get away while you have a chance. We look out for each other, don’t we? We’ll eat ramen if you need a call girl.”

“Emmie’s a slut and a user, the way she dumped you for the stocks guy and took you back when he stopped paying,” The man behind him said quietly.

“Shh… shhh” came from several people around them and the friends settled back.

They were trying to help him, or Alex. Vader leaned back again, realized that he had crushed the flimsi bucket, making the tasty bits harder to extract. Watching the holo might be less unsettling.

He felt both sick and fascinated to see a young version of his old master and he ignored the others in the holo. _When had he ever looked this young? Had he ever been in love like this?_

_Had he…_

Vader’s thoughts just stopped when not-Kenobi began to sing.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I just could not resist a leap into this period. _Vader_ was not made for happiness and he's never been that used to the idea of friends...


	6. Into the Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin needs his adrenaline rushes almost as much as he wants to know what the kriff is happening...

Shaking his head in disbelief, the seat and floor below him began to shake as siren wailed through him. He felt hemmed in and straps held him on the bench. In the dimmer and cold light he saw he was in some kind of cabin or cockpit, but it was open to rushing air behind him. Looking down, he was clutching thick gloves and wore some kind of thick sleeves.

Someone smacked his shoulder. “You okay, rookie? Sure you can handle the heat?” The man was about his own true age and had a dark mustache. “You stay with Patrick or Colin, my boys know the drill for newbs. Right, my boy?”

“Sure, Dad. Troy will be fine, he was fearless in the training simulations.” The man ahead and to the left was hunched, and it took a moment to realize he was piloting the vessel that seemed to be skidding off the ground it was flying so low.

“Been in hot fights, just worried I’ve forgotten what to do.” _Was his name Troy?_

Mechanical sounds pierced the loud vehicle noises. The ‘dad’ said, “Ten four dispatch. ETA seven minutes. Will the tanker make it, or will we need the pond? Good. Will Lafayette help with the house, don’t want wind jumping sparks over? That’ll do.” He looked at Anakin. “Get your helmet on, son. You’ll need the radio.”

A different man with curly blond hair helped him get armored, and Anakin couldn’t help but catch some of their excitement.

“What about the family?” Patrick called.

“The son reported it to 911, and all dispatch got was that parents were in the hospital, one of them sick. The boy sounded like a panicking teen, just hope he didn’t go in to rescue some cat or 4H steer.”

A cracking sound and the dad’s voice now came through the helmet too. “Look guys, the barn’s probably going to be a write off, livestock is probably doomed with all the hay as fuel. Save the family’s home if possible, but people take priority, even you beer hounds. Patrick you take Troy to the pond to the south and make sure its running, then come back to the barn.”

The blond elbowed him. “That’s us.”

As the vehicle made a sharp turn, he saw a large building on fire but they made a sharp deceleration before everyone else began unstrapping. Anakin copied them and looked around and saw maybe a dozen buildings within a couple of hundred meters. The largest was partly underground with a path leading up toward a closed door, The red thing looked like it was made of wood.

Screams seemed to be coming from it, but he wasn’t sure what they were, only that they were dying.

That put him on edge.

He could not do anything to stop the screaming.

Patrick pulled. “ _ **Come on!**_ I can’t get any speed by myself. Watch for the groundhog holes too.”

Anakin grabbed the hose too and ran along with him in the dark until they reached a pond. Patrick had a motor strapped to his back and they anchored the end in the water. The hose began to fill into a solid. Anakin wiped the splashed mud off and they watched for a couple of minutes.

“Gotta go, motor-head. You can take it apart another day.”

Anakin looked up and saw Patrick starting off in a trot. “We’re out of time. Dad talked to the kid, and his sister was supposed to be at her friend Mona’s. Abner and Lafayette guys are searching the house first.

The animal screams were getting louder again, putting Anakin on edge and he clenched his fist as he ran.

The fire raged as streams of _water_ washed down the house, soaking it. It still almost seemed obscene to him. Other buildings were smoking, though the ‘barn’ was almost pretty. A half dozen brightly colored vehicles were scattered around as water streams focused on only certain buildings.

“Patrick, take the rookie and check for any signs of the girl. My gut says this is another arson so get some shots if you see anything.” ‘Dad’ was holding a teen boy in loose sleep cloths.

A long low building that stank, had huge fans blowing the stink to the outside. The stink smelled of burnt meat. “In there,” Anakin said.

Patrick shrugged and rushed.

The animal screaming was very loud and when they opened the door the breeze became much stronger. Layers of cages lined the hall and smoke blocked his sight.

Anakin could not feel if there was any one brighter in the Force in here.

Patrick closed the door and hit one switch. “We won’t see anything if we...”

“Help! Help me!” A faint female voice

Anakin followed the other man until they reached wall of fire in their way.

The voice was stronger, angry and full of panic. “Help! I can’t get through the fire. Can you get me out?”

“Doesn’t look deep. Can you run through?” Patrick called.

Her voice was tart. “I’m in my nightgown. It’ll burn. What else, you’re my only hope.”

“Take off the gown,” Anakin suggested.

“So I have no protection from the heat?” She sounded offended.

Patrick sighed. “Here take my coat for her and I’ll stay by the door. Move!”

Hunching, Anakin charged through the flames with a laugh of relief when he passed through. He found a teen girl and stopped.

She was as short as Padmé and looked too much like that rebel senator. “About time.” She grabbed the second coat and put it on, scrunching down inside easily.

“Lose the skirt, princess.” Anakin growled.

She straightened, trying to look taller. “Only my father can call me that, and you aren’t him.”

Clenching his fist, Vader wondered if saving her was worth any effort. Choking her into unconsciousness would be simpler. Grabbing the girl, he threw her over his shoulder and marched back, leaping through the flames.

Patrick, gestured him to hurry. “The roof is creaking and is gonna...”

This time Anakin heard the straining noise and they rushed outside. He only set the girl down away from the building. The burning building collapsed and he noticed an egg and eye sign saying ‘First Star Eggs’ and he shivered.

A civilian and the boy hurried over to the girl, sounding happy.

Anakin heard a man’s snicker again, though no one was paying attention to him at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this begins pretty much during the firefight during ANH, before Vader feels the Force in play around Luke. Everyone has off days... Yes, the story is partly inspired by Quantuum Leap and Sliders, with Vader in Sam's place and even less understanding.
> 
> I do not own Star Wars or its characters, Lucas and Disney do. I do not make any profit from writing this story. Some characters are original.


End file.
